Tinkering Laboratory

No matter how amazing an idea is, it is worthless until it gets implemented and turned into a reality. The Tinkering laboratory is a platform to help creative students and young entrepreneurs transform their ideas into impactful products and patents. Set up in 2012 by SIDBI Innovation and Incubation Center (SIIC) at IIT Kanpur in collaboration with the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), the platform is an outcome of the dire need of a place where students could get more hands-on experience besides theoretical knowledge, test their ideas and develop functional prototypes. The lab is accessible to students, start-up entrepreneurs and incubators from across the country for testing, verifying and prototyping their ideas into innovative services and products, particularly in the domain of advanced technology.

The lab has been set up in conjunction with the TA201 (Academic lab), Central workshop, 4-i lab, Design Program, and SIIC. It houses several hi-tech machines for fabrication of student projects including shearing machine, basic lathe machines, bench drilling machine, small grinders, vacuum plastic forming machine, buffing tools, air-compressors, hand grinders and drill machines, marking and measurement tools, welding machine, spray painting, bench vices for metal fitting and wood work activities and all fitting and carpentry tools. It also strives hard to provide as much raw material as possible to reduce product development cost.

The IITK Student Gymkhana runs this lab with a concept that students should operate the lab under the supervision of the institute’s staff and get maximum exposure to explore their interest and creativity. At present, there are three full-time technical staff and two project staff who provide assistance and guidance to students on their projects whenever needed. The Lab is used by various in-house clubs such as Robocon, SAE, Aeromodelling Club, RoboClub, Electronics Club, etc.

Achievements

Patented several products over the last few years Amphitricycle, PVC Four-Wheel Cycle and Amla Seed Remover.

IIT Kanpur looks forward for expanding the Tinkering Lab and incorporating it with more hi-tech machines and equipments to empower the students and other users to make the best use of it.

Benefactors - Partly inspired by the ‘Fab labs’ of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the model of the Tinkering Lab was initiated by the institute’s 1986 batch during their Silver Jubilee Reunion in December 2010. It has been built with the generous donations made by batches 1986 & 1976, several alumni and the institute. We express our deep gratitude to all the alumni and well-wishers who have contributed towards it. We look forward to receiving your support in future.